A/N I'm sorry this took me so long to update and I have some explaining to do. I found myself momentarily discouraged with this story and almost thought of quitting it. I asked myself what I thinking? I was having V leave his mask! How could I do that? But I wanted Evey and V to be together and they only way they could is if the mask was removed and his scars gone. I'm sorry if I offended anyone of you with that. But now I realize this is my story! I can do with it what i want and I have many people who are counting on me to finish it! I am no longer discouraged and I WILL finish this! Promise! I have come to love this story once again and I am eager to keep on writing it!

I hope you all aren't too disappointed with this. I wrote this kind of in a hurry. And on a better note this story is almost done. I have probably one to two more chapters left! And I promise it won't take me another month to update. Now enjoy!

~Axelrocks~

Chapter 11

~One Week Later~

She did it! She didn't know where she had gotten the mental strength do it, but it was done. Finally she had been able to make her childhood home feel like a home to her once again.

She had swept and dusted every piece of furniture all the while pushing back those horrible memories of her last night here. She sighed and pushed back a stray hair from her head. She knew that her curly hair was still too short to put into a ponytail but she still tried. But the fact that it really was too short won over her stubbornness. She finally took out the useless ponytail and shook her hair out, it barely reached her shoulders now.

She stood there in the middle of living room, leaning on her mop, and smiled in satisfaction. Everything seemed to gleam and shine. Her hard work had finally paid off. This was now her home.

But there was one place she did not dare enter.

Her old bedroom.

That had been the last place she had seen her mother…alive. She had not even been brave enough to open the door, let alone enter it. She avoided it all together not even walking in its direction of the hallway. Those horrible memories were best left shut behind that door.

But she knew eventually she would have to enter that dark place, she knew she would have to face those dark memories. But not now. She wasn't strong enough. Not since she had left V.

V.

Just thinking of him sent her heart beating, but also brought with it a fresh wave of tears. Everyday she wished she hadn't left him, but she knew it had been for the best. She couldn't stand having her heart break everyday. She couldn't stand V not returning her love even though she knew he longed too! She missed him so terribly much!

What was he doing right now? Did he miss her as much as she missed him?

~V~

It had been seven days since she left, seven very lonely days, and the hurt of her being gone out of his life hadn't lessened. It was still as sharp and raw as the day he had found her parting note.

he had considered going out right then and looked for her. But then what? What would he had done if he had found her? He knew he wouldn't have been able to convince her to come back. Why would she have wanted too?

It was true that his face and body were slowly becoming scarless. Everyday a new patch of skin was forever gone of the damning scars. But it she had waited so long already, it would have been cruel of him to make her wait any longer.

He had tried to put his mind on more happier things. Like the fact that he would soon be able to rejoin society as a normal man once again. Yet, sadly, with that thought came along a sliver of fear.

It had been so long since he had been a normal citizen. In fact he remembered nothing of that life at all.

How was he to act? What was he to do?

Unfortunately those questions remained unanswered.

~V~

Evey struggled with the two bulky grocery bags she carried in her arms as she walked up to the steps leading to her front door.

She tried to reach around one of the bags to turn the handle of the front door, but she found she was unable to reach it.

"Bloody hell…" she muttered in frustration. Maybe she shouldn't have bought so much groceries. But she had been eager to fill up the cabinets with food. She was about to set the bags down when a voice stopped her.

"Here, let me get that." and a gloved hand reached out and opened the door for her.

Her heart skipped a beat. Was that V behind her? Had he come for her at last? But she knew the voice was all wrong. It didn't have that smooth poetic like tone V had, but a slight irish accent, and most importantly it didn't sound like it was behind a mask.

She turned and smiled hoping she had hidden her brief disappointment. "Thank you, Eric." She walked inside. "Why don't you come in and I can put a kettle on for some tea?"

"I would love too, but I have an errand that I must run."

"Oh." She was once again disappointed. She had grown quite lonely and longed for some company.

You can always go back to V, he would be there for you. She quickly pushed that thought away. She couldn't go back there. She knew it.

"How about dinner then? I didn't buy these for nothing." She indicated to the bags in her hands. "Are you free later?"

He smiled. "Yes, I am. I don't remember the last time I had myself a good home-cooked meal. What time would you like me to come over?"

"Hmmm…" she thought for a moment. "Is seven fine?"

He nodded. "Seven it is!" he made his way down the stars and turned back to her. "See you then."

"See you then," she said and watched him walked away.

~V~

V ate his dinner. Alone. Just like he had been doing for the past seven days.

He no longer wore his mask though his face still held a few scars. And he was surprised this morning when he looked into the mirror to find that he had hair. It had been so long since he had had hair and he had forgotten the color of it. Now he threaded his fingers through his honey colored locks. It was strange to see that color since for as long as he could remember he had worn a black wig. But he had liked it now and he wondered if Evey would.

Evey.

She wouldn't recognize him at all now.

Everyday hope built inside him, a feeling he had long thought he would never feel. Everyday more and more of his face was becoming scarless.

Soon he would be able to face Evey, to tell her he loved her and that he was sorry for making her go. He hoped that she would still return her feelings for him. All he needed to do was find her, but he had no idea where to start.

~V~

Evey checked herself once more in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable. Once she found herself presentable she went back to the stove where she was cooking her dinner. The clock read 6:50.

He should be here soon, she thought. Just then the doorbell sounded. Or he could be there now.

She smoothed down her hair once more and answered the door.

Eric stood there and looked up and smiled when he saw her.

He looked younger, somehow. He no longer had the bags underneath his eyes. She assumed he was getting sleep now that he longer had an investigation to run.

In his hands he held a container.

"I brought some brownies for dessert. I thought I'd try my hand at baking. Hopefully they turned out edible."

This was a new Eric. He joked around and he actually smiled. Life was being kind to him.

"I'm sure they'll be delicious." She smiled and took the container from him. "Come in."

He stepped in and shut the door behind him.

"You can put your coat over there and take a seat in the living room. I'm going to put this in the kitchen and set the table."

"Would you like any help? I'd feel bad if you did all that work."

"Sure!"

~V~

After there meal was cleared away Evey brought out Eric's brownies.

"Well the moment of truth has come," he said taking the container from her and opening it. "At least they smell normal."

"I'm sure they'll taste fine," said Evey lifting up a fork ready to take a bite when Eric placed a brownie in front of her.

"Wait," he said. "Let's do this together."

"Alright."

"Go."

And they both dug in.

Evey chewed and swallowed. "Not bad." She took another bite. "Not bad at all."

Eric heaved a sigh of relief. "Good, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to call for an ambulance."

"Stop it," she laughed.

"It's good to hear you laugh, Evey."

She stopped instantly at his comment.

He continued. "Every time I saw you you were worrying about V or something seemed to be wrong. I've never heard you laugh before and it's nice." She blushed. "Thanks." She got up and cleared the plates. "Would you like some coffee?"

"That's sounds nice."

"Okay, I'll bring it out to the living room. We can talk more in there."

~V~

Evey set the steaming cup of coffee in from of Eric.

"Thanks," he said picking it up and took a sip.

"No problem." She took a seat on the couch across from him.

"So how is V doing these days?"

The question was innocent enough but the thought of V made her clench her coffee cup tighter. She didn't want to talk about V. Not now.

"Evey? Are you alright?"

She shook herself out of her reverie. "Yes, I'm fine. And so is V, I suppose. I haven't talked to him in awhile. How's work going for you?"

And just like that the subject of V was forgotten.

~V~

When it was time for Eric to leave Evey followed him to the door.

"We should do this more often," she said. She longed for a friend and she found that she could have one in Eric.

"Of course, but next time it's my turn to be the host."

"Alright sounds good."

"Thanks again for the meal," he said and then left.

She quietly shut the door and leaned against it. Though she found talking to Eric refreshing she still longed to talk with V once again.

A/N To clear things up if there is any confusion. NO, Evey will not start liking Eric. But I can't say the same for Eric ;)